the Royaliste

Yarrgh!..I figure it be time for an update for you southeastern pirates...ROYALISTE is still in Charleston, after ducking the storm that just ran up the coast. I'm in San Francisco, headed back to her manana...The surgery I just had turned out to be pretty massive, with a slice about a foot long from the top 'o the knee down, so....I'm slowed down more than we predicted. We will be underway headed south, stopping in Beaufort,SC before heading off for Florida. The fella that penned the above arrrrrticle has some good connections around St. Augustine, and claims they are 'nuts' over pirates, so we'll see, eh wot?

Well mate, I wish ya luck..I've a 'spare' Herreshoff Ketch but she's in Sausalito....enjoy your stint, and sail on..........

..Not much I can say that hasn't been said, either on or offline. David was a fine man; ASTA gave him a lifetime achievement award the other day....We talked in Oyster Bay, just good pirate talk, if'n ya savvy...After both ships sailed from NYC, we passed offshore at the mouth of the Delaware, where Kalmar Nyckel headed upstream, and we tucked inside Cape May for a layover..A brief 'Fair Winds, Mate' on the VHF, and we both wwent our separate ways....Sail on, Sailor......

As much as I hate double posting, I just got this from a month or so back. Finally, a decent reporter who has his ducks in a row...Pirate Story

Aye, I'll be makin' a new channel and knees for the mizzen, so wood huntin' it be...You're welcome to stop on by; Royaliste is in Cooper River Marina, Charleston, operated by the county on an old naval base. We'll all be here thru next Monday, but Cap'n Kat's off retrievin' the Rumble Bee from Albany as we speak, so after that I'm headed west to SF, and the crew has 'repel boarders' orders whilst I'm away...Should be back just after Dec. uno, as we'll be sailin' south again by Dec 7....... :angry:

..Yo, mate!...It's a bit more complex, finding dockage..First, around here, due to alla the transiting yachties and powerboats, they only designate a small amount to transients. So, most 'empties' have a reservation on them..The downtown dock had a day transient spot, but we needed a one month spot. Ladys Island doesnt have a vacancy until after the first of the year; same with Port Royal,so...We found a spot here at the last minute(after doing a pile of damage to the stbd side from pilings during the storm), so we are on the Cooper River for a month. After my surgery, the transient rich should be mostly south, and a better chance at a slip in Beaufort, as well as other points south. It's been a real bitch playing 'slip checkers' with the money folks for the available nightly slips, 'cuz they sleep late, and pass you at 25 knots.........

Yup...really nice boat; we're very impressed with her, but that said, the addition of 'Spirit' to a ship's name is generally a reference to an earlier ship of same name, so..... first 'South Carolina'-1777,frigate,40 guns second'South Carolina'-1798,revenue cutter schooner, 12 guns third'South Carolina'-1799, galley, one gun ( built as Protector) .....not a 90' 'pilot schooner' amongst 'em... As an operator of a Tallship in a rather tough market, most ships have found that their historic counterparts yield huge educational programs of interest to most all people, and that tends to be their 'edge' to stay afloat ( evidenced by my friends aboard Lynx doing Hawaii as a 'pirate ship')..just an overview on a survival program for Tallships.... Studley; I contacted the marinas in your area and all are full up, so we are holing up here in Charleston for a month, methinks..(we try another marina tomorrow if the rain allows travel out of this harbor)

Flamin's been happenin' since the beginin' 'o this pub; 'tis like anywhere full 'o drunks....All drivel in the grand scheme 'o things....

We are very familiar with the ship, Denis Sullivan, after doing an event that she was at last summer on the Great Lakes. As far as crew, they come and they go, so we know few if any from her....We'll give the marina a call in a day or two..Looks like rain is moving in, otherwise we'd be headed your way as early as tomorrow. Donn't seem to be very pirate friendly as far as the marinas go around here..NO ROOM AT THE INN.........And we'll for sure look up the restaurant, if'n it ain't toooo far from the ship...Not too sure about the Maritime folks here; they build an oversised replica of a pilot schooner, when they coulda' built the revenue cutter South Carolina, a 1798, 12 gun schooner with a history....Jeesh!

We've been mulling over whether to continue on down the ICW, or run outside again. The ICW has been a wee bit stressful due to water depths(we draw near seven feet), and offshore is deeper,but...We'd be glad to stop in Beaufort,SC. Let me know where my mates on the NINA docked, and we'll be happy to give it a try....It'll most likely be after my visit to the sawbones back in SF. that's just a week away as far as being incognito. ROYALISTE Still Pyratin' RR Way South.....

Nice one, Foxe :)

Aye, it was a kick finally meetin' up with Sinbad,, and it couldn't have better than on Halloween!...We really liked Beaufort, and we'll probably sail back up during the winter. Last night saw us finishing up the stretch of the ICW, and making deeper water in Charleston, SC. Tomorrow is the American Sailtraining Association (ASTA) conference, and I'm pretty sure that we're the only one's who sailed to it, much less in a Pirate Ship!....Looks like the weather's gonna turn lousy,so...we'll likely hang here until my knee is done...Pretty little town, Charleston.

Ahoy, maytees!...Thanks for the info, I'll be refrence'n it as we get closer...We did Halloween in Beaufort, NC...Got a good look at the QAR stuff, and bought a lot 'o new readin' material, now..offshore today, southward again.....

YAAARRRGH!.....We've been deep in the swamps, with 'nary a cell or internet signal, 'good ole boy'n it for a week or so!.....We docked in Beaufort,NC today, and checked out the QAR stuff in the museum.... Blackjohn; We'll be down thattaway in Dec., 'cuz I gotta have a knee surgery in SF in two weeks...Then a slow trip south K.P.; we're actually thinkin' of hangin' around St. Augustine for a spell. We need to haulout, but may do that closer to Melbourne... 'Pearl; Yup, warmer is the idea, eh?..froze our arses off for a few nights last week, and some frigid days at the helm...Much better now, though... Southbound again in a few days; headed to Wilmington, NC next for a spell....

Avast, alla ya scabborous seadogs! After an 'interesting' week offshore from NYC, dodgin' a gale in Cape May, NJ, Privateer ROYALISTE is in Norfolk, Va., departing this a.m. on the Intercoastal Waterway, headed towards Florida. If you live along 'the ditch', and be needin' a gRRReat pirate fix, be keepin' an eye to windward, mates,'cuz....we're sailin' south and takin' no prisoners,eh?

Angus posted this one 'o mine a couple 'o three years back: ROYALISTE Off the Maryland Coast, Southbound.........

We're puttin' the village of Catskill to RR rudder in about an hour; it be colder 'n bloody 'eck out, hopin' to make Newburgh tonight. The ship managed to make good time yesterday, with the wind in her squares. We should make LI Thursday nite, as we have a media event on Friday........

Yarrggh!....We've been a rather busy bunch 'o scallywags, an' as such I haven't been online much...We're in NY, a little south of Albany, after finishin' up waay too many canals and such. It were time for a quick haulout in Vermont to check and repair some things after the summer on the Great Lakes, including putting 13 feet 'o new wood in our mainmast. The ship's restepped, and we're sprucin' up a bit 'afore headin' to Oyster Bay...It'll be good meetin' up with ye, Scupper, and any and all others as well!...So, Privateer Ketch Royaliste is underway, and lookin' fer swag on the Eastern Seaboard at last........

A new development, maytees!...We're now also lookin' for a pirate or two to help work the ship, apply tat's (temporary, 'o course!), and general skullduggery and swordfightin' in Oyster Bay, NY mid- October. This ain't a payin' gig, it be benefittin' charities, but if hangin' with a pile 'o scallywags, havin' fun, and mebbee scorin' some tips is up your alley, give me an email, as we don't hit the forum as much at sea. We're headed to Vergennes, Vt tomorrow to see where a lot of boatbuildin' happened during three wars on this Lake called Champlain....Aye!

Aye, maytee's!..Wot goes better with pirates than a heap 'o oysters!!...We'll be there in 'full pirate mode', swordfightin' , tattoo'n', and generally swashbucklin' as usual!.....This is a two day benefit for many local charities, so...C'mon down, and sign the Arrrrticles, eh?

Well, me bucko, without soundin' harsh, the only way to learn to sail a Tallship is to 'sail a Tallship'...nothing else really compares, as you may learn to trim a sheet or something similar, but the concept will be different on a belayin' pin! Modern boats sail with things that make it easy to defy the weather; winches, cockpits, bimini's....not so on a square-rigger, mate!!....You really should just sail on a Tallship to start with., ASTA has many vessels that will allow you either by pay or volunteerism, to sail.. Being the only full time pirate ship on the roster, we are no exception, just a wee bit pickier...we take trainees and volunteers, the trainee's generally being college level, and volunteers generally being 'adults'....So, why wait?..you seem to have some 'pirate' skills; fiddlin', dressin', etc....

Ahoy! We're presently on Lake Champlain; reliving the Battle of Plattsburgh today and tomorrow. Monday we will be participating in a memorial on Crab Island, which served as an infirmary for both sides during the bloody conflict. Next week, the Festival of Nations at Crown PointThen down the Hudson, and off to Oyster Bay, NY for the Oyster Festival Oct. 14-15. So, Blackjohn; we should be around Norfolk or so participating in the Tallship Challenge '07...JUst fire off an email; we're quick on the keyboard too!...Johnny, that sounds great, altho from the former CG crew we've had, about the only relevant stuff that will help from that source is that the water is wet, and deep. We also just posted a position on ASTA's Billet Bank....

Aye, my fellow scallywags!..If history is is your blood, then here's a 10 day period that I recommend not missing!....Starting just after the Labor Day weekend, the commencment of the Battle of Plattsburgh on Lake Champlain during the War of 1812 begins, with the actual battle reenactment over the weekend of the 9th....Then, join us and many others for the Festival of Nations at Crown Point, NY to start the commemoration of the 250th anniversay of the French and Indian War, along with a bit of Rev War history. Crown Point has not just one, but TWO historic forts, and quite a celebration planned.....We came thousands of land and sea miles to make this,so...it ain't no small part of your history, my friends! Crown Point State Historic Site ruins of Fort St. Frédéric and of the Crown Point fort Crown Point joins British, French, & Indian sites in the U.S. and Canada in commemorating the 250th anniversary of the French & Indian War. Festival of Nations Fri., Sept. 15, 2006 Festival of Nations: Canada, France, Great Britain, Sat., Sept. 16, 2006 Native American Indian tribes, United States , with music & dance & food & family fun & competitions! The event hours are: 9:30–2:30 [esp. for schools] and 4:30–6:30 on Friday (Sept. 15), plus 9:30–4:30 on Saturday (Sept. 16). among the Crown Point highlights are: · Singer/musician Linda Russell will perform concerts of 18th century songs at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, 9/15 and at 10 a.m. on Saturday, 9/16. She will use a penny whistle and dulcimers to present British and early American music. · Thunderhawk Dancers performance by Native Americans, Sat., 12:30-1:30. · Hear lots of live, highly entertaining, beautiful French and Canadian music: from Déjà Nous (French Music Hall-style performance) at 6:30 Friday evening, from Va-et-Vient (music of Quebec and France ) at 2 p.m. Saturday, and from versatile accordionist Ron Tomocik both days! A $5-per-vehicle fee is collected at Crown Point , 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Sat. & Sun. among the Chimney Point highlights are: · Chimney Point State Historic Site hosts: Atlatl Workshop on Fri., Sept. 15 and Northeastern Atlatl Competition on the weekend of September 16-17. · Knap-In on Sept. 16 - 17: demonstrations of flint knapping and workshops for beginning and intermediate flint knappers to participate. A $4 per adult (age 15 & up) fee is collected at Chimney Point, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wed.-Sun. among the highlights shared by both historic sites are: · The sailing vessel ROYALISTE, a replica of a 1755 gaff-rigged, square tops'l ketch - commissioned as a dispatch gunship, will visit the points on Sept 16 & 17, 2006 while touring Lake Champlain. Royaliste and her crew engage in acts of 'piracy' and sail training with a privateer's flair. · CROWNings: Miss Lake Champlain contest & Mr. Lake Champlain contest. This festival is co-hosted by the historic landmarks on both sides of the Lake Champlain Bridge : Chimney Point (VT) State Historic Site (ph. 802-759-2412) Crown Point (NY) State Historic Site (ph. 518-597-4666) Fête des Nations

Well, mate, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure your intent, but..one must understand that potentially tons of very young readers also read this forum, so without bonafide disclaimers to such ideas, there might just be some enterprising youngster, who has some pvc in the basement,so..he takes some 'o dad's shotgun shells(hell, he won't miss a few), tries 'his' version of your idea (you said it was safe, afterall), and theoretically maims himself or worse. Like the idea of being the 'father' of such a plan??....The internet's a very strange place, and one should think a little before they type. For instance, you could have posted that you had a new idea for a theatrical cannon, and anyone interested should PM you. Then you have complete control of your 'intellectual property'...get my drift?.....Fair Winds, mate

Thanks, Maria!....It'll be another month or so 'afore we hit the Chesapeake, but I'll give a shout for sure when we're closer....At present, we're at the confluence of the Erie and Champlain canals on the Hudson. We've made safe harbor for now; not much time in our schedule, but the weather is supposed to turn ugly with the rains from Ernesto today, so.....we jury rigged the ship's cover over the masts laying on deck to give us a little respite.....